Harry Kane: From a competent Arsenal goalkeeper to a clinical Tottenham striker

In his first full season at Tottenham, Harry Kane made 19 appearances and managed just 4 goals in all competitions. But that was just the early signs of what was to come. Now, he is one of the most ferocious strikers of the ball in the world.

Harry Kane started his career with Arsenal but made his name as a world-class forward at Tottenham

An 8-year-old chubby kid joined the ranks of Arsenal’s famed youth academy in 2001 as a goalkeeper. Back then, he was no special kid with extraordinary talents like Lionel Messi or Ronaldinho at that age but what set him apart from his colleagues was his sheer determination and a childish desire of scoring goals. However, he successfully turned his fantasy into reality and got himself a shift in position from between the sticks to opposition’s box.

The young English lad during his only season at the Arsenal academy saw out a stellar campaign and finished just behind Highbury prodigy Benik Afobe in the scorer list. However, that was not enough to convince Arsene Wenger as the legendary Frenchman released him from the club the same year.

And if the assessment of his former academy coach at Arsenal Alex Welsh is to be believed, then that was the making of ferocious Harry Kane that we know today.

Welsh famously said, “I think leaving Arsenal made Harry more driven and more determined to make it,” while Wenger himself lamented Arsenal’s decision to let the striker leave the club.

Harry Kane had brief spells at Ridgeway Rovers and Watford before he gave trial at Harry Redknapp’s Tottenham Hotspur which he failed at first.

It was in the second attempt, he was able to convince the Tottenham coaches and the chubby kid never looked back.

After spending 5 long years with the youth side and another 4 years on loan at 4 different clubs in Leyton, Millwall, Norwich and Leicester; Harry Kane finally got his big break in Tottenham’s senior team in 2013.

He made 19 appearances in his first full season and managed just 4 goals in all competitions. But that was just the beginning of a goal machine.

Since that 2013-14 season, the English striker has seen an incredible and unprecedented rise. He has scored at least 20+ goals in each Premier League season ever since and has become the first player to score 20 or more goals in four consecutive seasons in England’s top division.

His goalscoring exploits did not go unnoticed as he was swiftly inducted into the England national team. Impressed by his form of late, newly-appointed manager Gareth Southgate handed him the captaincy role ahead of their month-long trip to Russia.

The former competent Arsenal goalkeeper has turned into one of the most deadly strikers in the world today and is currently busy leading the England team at FIFA World Cup by example.